The first attempt to rank the accuracy of sports media personalities was a success! Surprise, surprise: sports bloggers enjoyed the opportunity to have a laugh at ESPN’s expense. Then again, ESPN personalities did take up six of the bottom eight positions in the ranking.
This edition of the rankings welcomes a slew of prominent sports writers: Carl Bialik (WSJ.com), Will Leitch (New York Magazine), Joe Posnanski (Kansas City Star), Jeff Passan (Yahoo! Sports), Joe Sheehan (Baseball Prospectus), Tim Marchman (NY Sun) and Alex Belth (SI.com and Baseball Toaster). The source for these predictions was Bialik’s “2008 Seasonlong Baseball Contest“.
Also in the works is King Kaufman’s (Salon.com) predictions. Currently, his predictions are posted on whereIstand.com, as “unverified“. To get approved as legit, six whereIstand members need to vote to approve. And just so everyone knows, all predictions you see are approved by the same process, which is in place to ensure reliability. If you’re interested in posting or voting on evidence, or just if you want to take a stand, register.
As I’ve already mentioned, the data from which I created these rankings - and the source for each individual prediction - can be found at the links directly below.
Prediction breakdown in the AL East
Prediction breakdown in AL Central
Prediction breakdown in the AL West
Prediction breakdown in the NL East
Prediction breakdown in the NL Central
Prediction break down in the NL West
Rankings were based on the standings at the All Star break. The big movers and shakers came from those who picked the Red Sox and Mets, both of whom surged in the final week before the break. Currently, it’s a tight race at the top, with 10 people tied for the lead. In parenthesis are the net points gained or lost.
Without further Apu…
1. McAdam, Sean (ESPN): Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Phillies, Cubs, Dbacks - 65 points (+1)
2. McIntyre, Jason (The Big Lead): Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Phillies, Cubs, Dbacks - 65 points (+1)
3. Albom, Mitch (Detroit Free Press): Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks - 65 points (+5)
4. Crasnick, Jerry (ESPN): Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks - 65 points (+5)
5. Klapisch, Bob (ESPN): Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks - 65 points (+5)
6. Kurkjian, Tim (ESPN): Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dodgers - 65 points (+7)
7. Will Leitch (New York Magazine): Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Cubs Dbacks - 65 points
8. Joe Posnanski (Kansas City Star): Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks - 65 points
9. Joe Sheehan (Baseball Prospectus): Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks - 65 points
10. Tim Marchman (NY Sun): Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks - 65 points
11. Edes, Gordon (Boston Globe): Red Sox, Indians, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks - 60 points (+5)
12. Heyman, Jon (Sports Illustrated): Red Sox, Indians, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks - 60 points (+5)
13. Gammons, Peter (ESPN): Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Braves, Cubs, Dbacks - 59 points
14.The Sporting News: Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Braves, Cubs, Dbacks - 59 points
15. The Associated Press: Yankees, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks - 59 points (+4)
16. Shaughnessy, Dan (Boston Globe): Yankees, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks - 59 points (+4)
17. Law, Keith (ESPN): Red Sox, Indians, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dodgers - 59 points (+6)
18. Tafoya, Michele (ESPN): Yankees, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dodgers - 58 points (+5)
19. Schlegel, John (MLB.com): Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Rockies - 57 points (+6)
20. Cimilluca, Greg (CBSSportsline): Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Phillies, Cubs, Padres - 55 points
21. Van Pelt, Scott (ESPN): Red Sox, Indians, Angels, Mets, Brewers, Dbacks - 55 points (+4)
22. Keri, Jonah (ESPN): Yankees, Indians, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks - 54 points (+4)
23. Golic, Mike (ESPN): Red Sox, Indians, Angels, Mets, Brewers, Dodgers - 54 points (+5)
24. Miller, Scott (CBSSportsline): Red Sox, Tigers, Mariners, Phillies, Cubs, Dbacks - 53 points (+1)
25. Davidoff, Ken (Newsday): Red Sox, Tigers, Mariners, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks - 53 points (+5)
26. The New York Times: Red Sox, Tigers, Mariners, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks -53 points (+5)
27. Neyer, Rob (ESPN): Yankees, Indians, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dodgers - 53 points (+5)
28. Shea, John (ESPN): Red Sox, Tigers, Mariners, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks - 53 points (+5)
29. Sharp, Drew (Detroit Free Press): Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Reds, Dodgers - 53 points (+6)
30. Phillips, Steve (ESPN): Red Sox, Tigers, Mariners, Mets, Cubs, Dodgers - 52 points (+6)
31. Rogers, Phil (Chicago Tribune): Red Sox, Indians, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Rockies - 52 points (+6)
32. Sports Illustrated: Yankees, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Rockies - 51 points (+5)
Verducci- 51 (+5)
33. Verducci, Tom (SI): Yankees, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Rockies - 51 points (+5)
34. Karabell, Eric (ESPN): Red Sox, Indians, Mariners, Phillies, Cubs, Dbacks - 48 points (+1)
35. Herbstreit, Kirk (ESPN): Yankees, Tigers, Angels, Mets, Reds, Dbacks 48 points (+4)
36. Gomez, Pedro (ESPN): Yankees, Tigers, Angels, Braves, Brewers, Dodgers - 47 points
37. Alex Belth (SI.com): Red Sox, Tigers, Mariners, Mets, Cubs, Rockies - 44 points
38. Nelson, Amy (ESPN): Red Sox, Indians, Mariners, Braves, Cubs, Dbacks - 42 points
39. ESPN The Mag: Yankees, Indians, Mariners, Mets, Cubs, Dbacks - 42 points (+4)
40. Jeff Passan: Red Sox, Indians, Mariners, Mets, Brewers, Dodgers - 42 points
41. Ryan, Bob (Boston Globe): Red Sox, Indians, Mariners, Braves, Cubs, Dodgers - 41 points
42. Carl Bialik (WSJ.com): Red Sox, Indians, Angels, Mets, Reds, Rockies- 41 points
43. The Los Angeles Times: Red Sox, Indians, Mariners, Mets, Cubs, Rockies - 40 points (+6)
44. Stark, Jayson (ESPN): Red Sox, Tigers, Mariners, Braves, Cubs, Rockies - 39 points (+1)
45. Tirico, Mike (ESPN): Yankees, Indians, Mariners, Braves, Dodgers, Cubs - 35 points
46. Pascarelli, Peter (ESPN): Yankees, Indians, Mariners, Braves, Cubs, Dodgers - 35 points
47. Olney, Buster (ESPN): Red Sox, Indians, Mariners, Braves, Cubs, Rockies 34 points (+1)
48. Greenberg, Mike (ESPN): Yankees, Tigers, Mariners, Braves, Cubs, Rockies - 33 points
49. Madden, Bill (NY Daily News): Blue Jays, Indians, Mariners, Braves, Cubs, Dbacks 33 points
AL East
| Red Sox(+2) | 12 |
| Rays | 12 |
| Yankees(+1) | 6 |
| Jays (+2) | 3 |
| Orioles (-2) | 2 |
|
AL Central |
|
| White Sox | 12 |
| Twins (+1) | 11 |
| tigers(-1) | 5 |
| Royals (-2) | 0 |
| Indians(-1) | 0 |
|
AL West |
|
| Angels | 12 |
| A’s(-2) | 6 |
| Rangers(-1) | 5 |
| Mariners | 0 |
|
NL East |
|
| Phillies | 12 |
| Mets(+4) | 12 |
| Marlins | 11 |
| Braves(-1) | 6 |
| Nationals | 0 |
|
NL Central |
|
| Cubs | 12 |
| Cards(-2) | 8 |
| Brewers(-1) | 7 |
| Reds | 1 |
| Pirates(-2) | 0 |
| Astros(-2) | 0 |
|
NL West |
|
| dbacks | 12 |
| Dodgers(+1) | 11 |
| giants(-2) | 5 |
| Rockies(+1) | 4 |
| Padres(-1) | 2 |